1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to conserving power in digital telecommunications systems and networks and more particularly, to expanding ENERGY STAR compliance in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) based telecommunications networks and VoIP devices.
2. Background Description
Thus frequently, since 1992 state of the art electronic devices are designed for E-Star compliance. A typical E-Star compliant device has a low power, power saving mode for periods of non-use. When an E-Star device enters power saving mode, the device reduces operation, preferably in seamless coordination with current device usage.
A processor equipped E-Star device, for example, may enter its power saving state by the processor throttling down after a minimum period of inactivity, e.g., reducing processor execution speed. Throttling down sets the processor in a low-power, power saving operation that may be one of multiple different levels of power saving states. Thereafter, the processor may exit the current power saving state to respond to internal events or external events. Internal events may include, for example, a timer expiry. External events may include, for example, user initiated or network initiated events. Typical state of the art Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and Multimedia Terminal Adapters (MTA) are sophisticated processor equipped telephony devices that normally include a display. Normally, these state of the art VoIP devices would be prime candidates for E-Star compliance.
Unfortunately, however, typical state of the art VoIP telecommunications systems require connected devices to be constantly available for frequent and very intensive communications and messaging between system telecom switches and network End-Points (EP), e.g., VoIP phones. Because these network messages occur with such frequency to place availability requirements on the EPs, the EPs may be prevented from remaining in power saving mode for an efficient length of time, or even from entering power saving mode. Otherwise, a VoIP device that is non-responsive (e.g., because it is in a power saving state) may be considered disconnected.
Consequently, typical VoIP phones could not enter and remain in a power saving state, even when the network messages to the phones may be unimportant. For example, at 2:00 am after 1 hour inactivity, an EP processor may be set to initiate power saving mode. However, normal message activity with the VoIP telecom switch may prevent it. Except for locally controlled minimal power saving functions, e.g., powering down the display, these availability requirements prevent EP devices from entering deeper power saving states at, e.g., hibernation.
Thus, there is a need for E-star telephony devices and network units that extend E-star compliance to EP devices in VoIP telephony systems.